Packaging of components is a consideration for motor vehicle design. Assemblies are made as compact as possible while allowing for access to components for servicing and maintenance of the vehicle. Bleeding of engine coolant from an engine cylinder head to ensure no air is present within a cooling system is a common maintenance task. The cylinder head may be designed to incorporate a suitable bleed point from which coolant can be bled (e.g., released) effectively.
A boss may be provided on the cylinder head with a bore which affords direct access to a coolant chamber of the engine. A bleed plug can be installed into the boss to control the bleeding of coolant. However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, packaging requirements often do not allow the boss to be positioned optimally for providing access for service and maintenance. As packaging requirements become more restrictive, space required for a boss may not be available.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method for a bleed valve assembly for an engine, the assembly comprising: a fastener comprising: a threaded shank received within a bore of the engine, the bore in fluidic communication with a fluid chamber of the engine, a shoulder formed between the shank and a head of the fastener, the fastener providing a clamping force, and a bleed bore comprising an internal thread; and a bleed plug comprising a threaded portion received within the bleed bore of the fastener, the bleed plug comprising: an engaging portion at a proximal end of the bleed plug configured to selectively engage the fastener; a passage extending from a distal end of the bleed plug; and a side port in fluidic communication with the passage, the side port provided between the threaded portion and the engaging portion; wherein when the bleed plug is in an open position in which the engaging portion does not engage the fastener, fluid from the fluid chamber may be bled by the bleed plug with the fluid passing through the passage and side port and by-passing the threaded portion of the bleed plug; and wherein the bleed bore of the fastener comprises a chamfered edge at an opening of the bleed bore, wherein the engaging portion abuts the chamfered edge. In this way, the bleed valve assembly may bleed fluid through the bleed plug without reducing the clamping force provided by the fastener.
To avoid unnecessary duplication of effort and repetition of text in the specification, certain features are described in relation to one or more aspects or embodiments of the disclosure. However, it is to be understood that, where it is technically possible, features described in relation to any aspect or embodiment of the disclosure may also be used with any other aspect or embodiment of the disclosure within the scope of the claims below.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.